Deflating end for Reds

After the Reds took a 2-0 NLDS lead in San Francisco, I brought a change of clothes to GABP for three-straight days just in case I got soaked during the clubhouse celebration.

Of course as we all know, those clothes never left the bag. I really didn’t see this coming when I flew back here on Monday. I didn’t expect a sweep, but I also didn’t expect the Reds to lose three in a row. That’s what happened in a 6-4 defeat. It was the six-run 5th by the Giants that was the big killer, especially Buster Posey’s grand slam.

A few thoughts:

*The Game 4 crowd was pretty muted. But the fans for Game 5 were all in and enthusiastic. Even when the Reds went down 6-0, the atmosphere was more energetic than it had been. And the fans stayed into it through rallies over the last four innings. Joey Votto could be seen applauding the fans from second base as Jay Bruce stood in for an epic 12-pitch at-bat in the ninth.

“The crowd was fantastic,” Votto said. “I was very, very impressed with how supportive they were. I’m really proud of being a Cincinnati Red. I’m very proud we have an excellent, supportive fan base. We just need to give them some wins, play deep in the playoffs and win a World Series here. And the support will increase ten-fold, I’m sure.”

*Bruce on his at-bat in the 9th:

“Sergio has a lot of sink on his ball, so I was just making sure to get something out over the plate, and I did,” Bruce said. “He gave me some pitches I could handle. To be honest with you, the at-bat shouldn’t have lasted that long, in my opinion. He made his pitches, he didn’t give in. It was a long at-bat, but I wouldn’t really call it a ‘good’ one, in my opinion. Good ones end differently.”

Some video clips from Dusty Baker on the game, and his future:

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And why the double steal try in the 6th:

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*I’m sure many of you are pretty honked off about the way things went down the last three days. But when you have time, we at MLB.com put together a lot of stories worth reading. I hope you can check it out when things have calmed down for you.

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19 Comments

I just pray the Reds Front Office is not going to tell the Reds fans “We are not making any changes for 2013″ That will tick me off. Since they refuse to get a hitting coach that can teach plate discipline and clutch hitting, they need to get those type hitters for the roster.. A legit leadoff hitter that gets on base/Getting rid of Super K Stubbs/Upgrade the rotation with a Lefthander if its Congrani.I still think the team is better with Chapman at closer./A Jeff Keppeinger off the bench who knows how to hit would be a better option than Cairo or Valdez/ A power bat off the bench/ and I say Leake/Stubbs wont be back. Being at the game it really was a let down with so many opportunities to drive in a run (11 left on base), I sure hope the Front office is not happy with 97 wins and losing in the post season. Another issue? spring training Better have more fundamental and focus training.. the team as a whole did not bunt very well in critical situations most of the season..didnt steal many bases either. Hopefully Hamilton will shine in the Arizona League and force the Reds to put him in the leadoff spot next season…stealing 250 bases in 2 seasons he knows where 1st base is and will be the perfect weapon at the top of our order!

I believe this is the end of the line for Dusty. I believe he would have been OK if he won the series and be competitive in NLCS. I feel certain that was the plan. I’ve been one of the biggest critics of Drew Stubbs, but I feel he will develop into a .280 to .300 hitter. There have been a number of players like Stubbs that had the same kind of start for 2 or 3 years and blossomed into a very good hitter…Mickey Mantle comes to mind…look it up. I would give Stubbs 1/2 year in 2013 before giving up on him.
The Reds do need a leadoff hitter, a left handed starter, 2 new bench players. Rolen probably should retire. I’d leave Hamilton in AA or AAA through the first half and see how Stubbs works out. Hamilton needs to work on being a qualified center fielder.

I’ll be burning my upper deck Reds baseball cards today. I should put it up on YOUTUBE as I cry.

Please dismantle this team Mr. Jocketty they are not worthy to wear the uniform.

We could get some good prospects out of Cueto send him to the either the Braves or Marlins for their top 3 pitching prospects, and Votto would love the New York scene. Just imagine Bruce with the Rangers, Rolen as a used car sales man.

Only player on this team that should be considered untouchable should be Chapman.

Every one else exit stage right you had 3 years to prove you could play clutch baseball.
Epic Failures.

Ouch! In the words of Abe Lincoln: “Too old to cry, too hurt to laugh.” Or something like that. Thanks, Mark, for your work and patience. Thanks, Reds, for a fun season. Can’t wait for spring. Someone, please, beat the Cardinals!

Ditto! I won’t be rooting for any National League team this year. Maybe to punish myself for my displeasure in this team right now I’ll cheer for the Yankees (the team that I despise the most). I am fit to be tied. Maybe come spring training I’ll have my heart in the right place again to be about to cheer on these losers.

I would love to see Rolen back as the hitting coach. He is a great clubhouse guy and I would like to see him around this team still. Keep Spiere and the pitching coach. But we have to replace Dusty with someone that can work with these kids a little better. Cozart, Stubbs, Mes, and hopefully Billy Billy Billy… We need a coach that can get these guys to their potential. That will change the team completely. Give Stubbstill the All-Star break. If he doesnt get better then trade.

Please tell me you are joking about Rolen. He was run out of St. Louis and now we all know why. The guy is no team Captain. Just because you are the oldest person on the field doesn’t make you a captain it only makes you the sad one everyone feels sorry for. The only way he stays on the team is if the Reds hire him as a new Mascot and they put him in a booth at the entrance to GABP where people can throws pitches at a stopper to knock him in the water.

Dale, take a deep breath my friend. We are all upset. But Rolen is a good guy and a Hall of Famer. Most of the kids on this team can still get better. Sometimes it just take a different approach to produce different results. I do think its time for Dusty and the hitting coach to go.

I agree on the hitting coach and Dusty sailing off into the sunset holding hands on their way to San Francisco. But even without considering this series it is no schoo in for Rolen to be in the hall of fame. 300 homers is no longer the marker it used to be. He has struggled with injuries for so many years, if he never had the season long injury issues then I would say definitely but he is the most over rated player on the Reds if not the national league.

Ignorant, ignorant, ignorant….Please tell me how you know anything about Rolen’s character? Just listen to what his teammates and coaches say about him and that will certainly negate everything that you just said. Better yet, ask Todd Frazier what he thinks of Rolen….Your credentials should be able to get you into the club house, right? Insert foot into mouth.

his best season with us gave us the reward of 20 homers. I don’t get why everyone thinks he is such as great player. Sure maybe before he blew out his shoulder 10 years ago. But baseball is all about what have you don for me lately. and Rolen is half the player Frazier is. Id have more respect for the man if he returned the money given to him for the playoff series (since he didn’t earn it) and he hung up his cleats.

Big Thanks for all you did this year Mark. Sure wish it could have ended a lot differently. I’m seriously still not over it. This of course all coming 2 weeks after my girlfriend of 3.5 years and I decided to part ways!!! Hasn’t been a very fun past couple of weeks for me…….You did a great job this year and really appreciate the hard work you put into it. To all the guys I chatted with on here all year, it has been fun and I look forward to keeping it going. I know were all disappointed, but April will be here again before we know it! Take care everyone and Thanks to the Reds for giving us a great year. In my opinion, if we don’t lose Johnny and he can pitch game 4 or 5 we win the series. Just some VERY bad luck…….

Now that I have calmed down a bit I still find myself hoping that the Reds make some significant changes. 3 years is a long time in baseball and that is the number of years we have pretty much had this current configuration. I would like to see permanent change at #5 starting pitcher, CF, LF, SS, and 3B. Out of those 4 positions mentioned we need one more .300 hitter and one more 30 homer 100 rbi kind of a guy, but most importantly we need a lead off hitter. We need a left hand starter and I hope that Cingrani is going to be it, he will at least be the cheapest solution and we can finally send Leake to AAA to improve his conditioning and maybe turn him into a spot reliever or a utility out fielder. I’m still not in love with Scott Rolen returning. He is out injured or resting more often than playing. His best year with us gave us 20 homers. Yes there is more to being a captain than numbers but we need the hitting folks more than a feel good. Cozart has a decent season but his hitting has got to improve, and I”m not convinced he is a starter. Stubbs is all defense and I’m not sure what has happened to his batting. Ludwick is decent but he is aging fast and though he had a decent playoff for us I don’t think fits into our need based on (.300 hitter, speed or 30 homers) maybe he could squeak out 30 homer season and 100 rbis if do make him out starting Left Fielder then that would have to mean goodbye Drew Stubbs because then we would really have to focus on getting another batter that can get on base.

I’ve decided that baseball is 80% pitching, 30% fielding and 55% hitting. Last time we thought pitching was the Reds postseaaon problem. Solved that – now it’s fielding and hitting. Oh, well. back to the General Managing grind. Meanwhile it’s time to remember some favorite moments from a really fun season. Three for me: Marty shaving his head; Bailey’s no-hitter; and the guy in the stands who caught home run balls on consecutive hitters. Maybe a fourth, though I didn’t see it. The Toyota dealers gave the undented and unreachable Tundra away to charity at one of the last home games. A classy end to one of the dumbest baseball-sponsor promotions of all time.

In all actuality. You have to look at it is a game of inches. Every year, every team gets a lottery ticket and only 1 team cashes in. The Rolen play will forever haunt most of us….but it wasn’t his fault we lost the series. Plenty of factors went into play. You think if JC gets to pitch game 4 or 5 we are still today?

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